1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing, and, more particularly, to the processing of sequential two dimensional images or frames that are produced digitally by an array of detectors utilizing radiography, ultrasound, or like media. For medical and other purposes, two dimensional visual images, or frames, may be produced digitally by associated arrays of detectors and transducers via radiography, ultrasound, or the like, from a subject being studied. Such images, for example, are produced by a digital camera system characterized by a mechanical array of digital detecting elements, a mechanical array of digital transducing elements, and, in effect, an electronic array of digital recording elements, all operating under suitable processing circuitry, control circuitry, and input/output circuitry. Such images ordinarily require corrections of various kinds and the present invention particularly pertains to the performance of such corrections. In order to facilitate an understanding of the present invention, the following description will refer to radiographic systems for consistency, although it is to be understood that ultrasound, and like media are contemplated herein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One such radiographic system is a gamma camera in which the array of digital detecting elements includes crystal scintillators that detect the radioactivity distribution of a portion of a human body that has a diagnostic quantity of radioactive material, the array of digital transducing elements includes photomultiplier tubes that count gamma photon emissions, i.e. events, from the scintillators, and the array of digital recording elements is provided by a random access memory that is addressed by electronic signals representing digital pulse height information from the photomultiplier tubes. Typical of a system of this type has been the application of a single, all encompassing, pulse height energy setting that has been applied indiscriminately to all scintillators, and the application of data corrections that are made after the processing sequence has been completed. There is a need in such systems for increased energy resolution and decreased processing time.